Spooling mechanism



Dec. 1,1931.

C. E. TRAXEL A sPooLING MECHANISM Filed Aug. 4, 1927A 2 Sheets-Sheet l Dec 1, 1931 C. E. TRAXEL sPooLING MECHANISM Filed Aug. 4. 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 wuantoz Patented Dec. l, 1931 LES E. TRAXEL, O`F ROME, NEW YORK, ASSIGN'OR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, T0.

GENERAL CABLE CORPORATION, F NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION 0F NEW JERSEY SPOOLING MEGBZANISM Application filed August 4,

This invention relates to apparatus for winding a continuous strand of material such as wire upon a spool.

It ils an object of the invention to cause the strand to be wound smoothly and evenly upon the spool and with substantially uniform tension.

It is a further object of the invention to provide means for the adjustment of the winding mechanism such that the strand may be properly centered between the flanges of the spool.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

`A preferred embodiment of the invention selected for purposes of illustration is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a side elevation.

Figure 2 is a vsection on the line 2--2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Figure 1, and

Figure 4 is a section on the line 4 4 of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings', the apparatus comprises a driven shaft 1 upon which may be mounted and secured in any suitable man? ner a spool 2 upon which the strand is to be wound. In winding a strand upon a spool, if the strand is fed thereto at a constant rate, as from the capstan of a wire drawing mavchine or the like, the speed of rotation of the spool must decrease as the diameter of the spool mcreases as successive layers of the strand are laid on. Furthermore, in order to maintain a constant tension on thestrand as the diameter 1ncreases,fthe torque applled by the driving means must be increased. Ac-

eording to the present invention, and in order to meet the above conditions, it is proposed to drive the driven shaft and spool by means of a variable speed drive in which the torque increases as the speed of rotation decreases. Fluid pressure motors have been found suitable for this purpose, and such` a motor is illustrated in the drawings, a rotor 3 having pockets 4 formed in its outer periphery being secured to the shaft 1 and a nozzle 5 being mounted in position to direct a jet of iiuid toward the said pockets. The

1927. Serial No. 210,471.

said nozzle 5 may be connected to a suitable source of fluid pressure which is preferably maintained at a substantially constant pressure, and a shut 0E valve 6 may be interposed between the nozzle and thev source. A needle valve 5A for adjusting and controlling the power delivered is located within the nozzle. The projecting end is squared a'nd arranged to come through the bottom of a cup shaped piece so it can not be changed except by use of a special wrench. It will be observed that as the speed of rotation of the driven shaft decreases, the impact of the fluid on the pockets of the rotor will be greater than when the rotor is moving at a higher speed. The driving torque will, therefore, be increased .and the tension on the wire will remain substantially constant as the diameter increases.

In winding the strand upon the spool, it is desirable that the surface of each layer of material be level and uniform and that each layer extend all the way across the spool from one flange to the other. Accordingly, 'a guide is provided comprising a pulley wheel which is 'mounted for rotation on the shaft 11 secured to the travelling member 12. The lower end of the member 12 is internally threaded to mesh with the thread 13 of the shaft 14, which said shaft carries a reversing clutch mechanism 15 which is driven through the bevel gears 16 and 17, the gear 17 being secured to the driven shaft 1. The member 12 is also provided with an aperture to receive one end of the rod 20 which is pivoted at 21 to the link 22. A second rod 23 is also pivoted at 24 to the link 22, the said rod 23 carrying the fork 25 of the clutch mechanism which engages the slide 25 which is splined to the shaft 14. For the present it may be assumed that the link 22 1s pivoted upon a fixed pivot 22.

Collars 26 and 27 are secured to the rod 20, and Vit will be observed that as the driving shaft 1 is rotated, the member 12 will be moved first in one direction, as for example, toward the\collar 26 until the rod 20 is moved in the same direction suiciently to` reverse the clutch'mechanism, at which time the direction of rotation of the shaft 14 is reversed and the travelling member 12 begins to move `verse the direction of rotation of shaft 14.

Due to the fact that the spools are refilled many times, they frequently become Worn by 1 repeated handling so that when placed upon the shaft 1, they do not line up properly vvith the guide 10. Accordingly, it is desirable to rovide means by Which the apparatus may be adjusted so that Wherever the spool may be secured upon the shaft 1, the guide 10 may be located in proper position with respect thereto to cause the strand to be Wound evenly thereon. For this purpose a shaft 30 is provided having a spool gauge 31 secured thereto having bevelled edges 32 Which may be caused to engage the inside of the flanges of the spool upon the depression of the operating lever 33. The shaft 30 is normally held in fixed position by means ofthe clamp 34 which is pressed against the shaft by means of the spring 35. When the operating lever 33 is depressed the offset portion 36 of the' handle engages the end of the clamp 34 and releases the shaft so that When the spool gauge engages the flanges of the spool the shaft 80 may be moved to the right or left until properly centered With-respect to the spool. The shaft 30 is connected to the lever 37 which is mounted upon a pivot 39 carried upon the fixed standard 40 by means of the link 38. Thus it will be observed that if the spool gauge 31 upon coming in contact With the flanges of the spool 2 is moved .to the right, the pivot 22 and the lower end of link 22 Will be moved to the left causing the link 22 to rotate about the pivot 24 with the result that the arm` 20 is also moved to the right, thereby limiting the movement of the traveller 12 and the guide 10 to the left. In the same manner if the s ool gauge 31 upon engagement with the anges of the spool is f caused to move to the left, the rod 20 is like- Wise moved to the left and movement of thc traveller 12 toward the right is thereby limited. Thus, in effect, if the spool 2 is secured to the shaft in a position to either side of its normal position the position of the guide 10 is likewlse moved in a direction to the same side of its normal position of travel and the winding operation takes place in the same manner as if the spool Were located in its normal position.

It will be understood that the invention may be variously modified and embodied Within the scope of the subjoined claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a spooling apparatus, in combination, a shaft for carrying a spool, a traveling guide, and means responsive to the position of the spool for simultaneously adjusting the reversal positions of the travel of the said guide with respect to the spool.

2. In a spooling apparatus, in combination,

a shaft for carrying a spool, a traveling guide, and manually operable means responsive to the position of the spool for simultaneously adjusting the reversal positions of the travel of the said guide with respect to the spool.

3. In a spooling apparatus, in combination, a shaft for carrying a spool, a traveling guide, means responsive to the position of the spool for simultaneously adjusting the reversal positions of the travel of the said guide with respect to the spool, and means to maintain the said means in adjusted position. s

4. In a spooling apparatus, in combination, a shaft for carrying a spool, a traveling guide, traversing means to cause said guide to travel back and forth across the spool, and means to adjust the position of the travel of the said guide with respect to said spool, said means including a longitudinally movable member having contact with said spool to adjust the travel of said traversing means.

5. In spooling apparatus, in combination, a shaft carrying a spool, a traveling guide for directing a strand to said spool, traversing means for actuating said guide, and means effective by a single adjustment to shift the range of travel of said traversing means in one direction While maintaining the same magnitude of movement thereof.

6. In spooling apparatus, in combination, a shaft carrying a spool, a traveling guide for directing a strand to said spool, traversing means for actuating said guide, and means effective by a single adjustment to shift the range of travel of said traversing means in one direction While maintaining the same magnitude of` movement thereof, said adjusting means comprising a gauge piece having beveled edges engaging the flanges of the spool, a turnable and longitudinally movable shaft mounting said gauge and releasable means for holding said shaft in position.

7. In spooling apparatus, in combination, a shaft carrying a spool, a traveling guide for directing a strand to said spool, traversing means for actuating said guide, and means effective by a single adjustment to shift the range of travel of said traversing means in one direction While maintaining the same magnitude of movement thereof, said adjusting means comprising a gauge piece having beveled edges engaging the flanges of the spool, a turnable and longitudinally adjustable shaft mounting'said Gauge, a pivotshifting lever connected to sa1d shaft, and means aected by said lever for affecting said traversing means.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification this 1st day of August, 1927.

, CHARLES E. TRAXEL. 

